Curry-comb



(No Model.)

' H. G. THOMAS.

CURRY 00MB.

N0. 431,490 Patented July 1, 1890" $zeaaes W $73. MM

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. THOMAS, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

CURRY-COMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,490, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed February 1, 1890. Serial No. 338,866. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY G. THOMAS, of Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hair-Removers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improved implement for removing loose hair from horses, being designed for use particularly when horses are shedding their hair. Although it is provided with fine teeth, it is not of the nature of a curry-comb. It is not designed to clean the horse or come in contact with the skin of the horse, but simply to act upon the hair and remove that which has alreadybeen loosened. In the ordinary curry-comb and like instruments the hair is penetrated and the teeth come in contact with the skin for the purpose of loosening and removingthe dirt and dust. Such implements are not designed for and do not effect the removal of the loose hairs to any practicable degree; but where the teeth come in contact with the skin they are liable to loosen hair not ordinarily loosened by the operation of nature. As the curry-comb and likeimplements thus loosen the hair without succeeding in removing the loose hair, it is very difficult with such an implement to clean a horse, particularly if the horse is shedding.

My invention consists, essentially, of a single blade having a series of fine teeth and sharp corners or edges, the teeth being of such length that they Will not penetrate through the hair, but will separate it and compress it and secure a tenacious grip upon it, so that the loose hair is removed, while thejmplement does not itself tend to loosen any hair not already loosened by the operation of nature.

Further, my invention requires, in connection with a single blade, a handle on the side opposite the teeth, so that the sharp edge of the toothed blade may come in contact with the hair as the implement is drawn over the body of the horse, all as hereinafter eX- plained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 I shows a side elevation of my invention; Fig.

2,an end elevation. Fig.3 shows an enlarged view of the teeth illustrating their action upon the hair.

In the drawings, A represents the blade having upon one edge teeth a, and on the edge opposite to the teeth a handle B. The

notches between the teeth are represented at b. The teeth are formed, as shown in Fig. 2, by filing or cutting directly across the edge of the blade, which, as the blade is a thin plate of sheet metal, leaves sharp corners on each side, and I have found for the purpose of subdividing the mass of hair and compressing the hair into small subdivisions into the space I) in the teeth, so as to give the teeth a strong frictional hold upon the hair without having the points penetrate the hair to the skin of the animal, that the teeth should be about one-thirteenth of an inch in length and about thirteen teeth to the inch. As the handle is upon one side of the blade in using it, the pressure applied by the hand sways the blade to one side, so that it is in a plane at an acute angle to the surface over which it passes, and the sharp edges or corners of the teeth take hold of the hairs with a strong frictional "contact. This renders it necessary, also, that a single blade should be used. At the same time the hairs are com pressed in the small spaces and the loose hairs are drawn out. The loose hair as it is drawn off passes over the body of the animal and acts as a cushion between the fine teeth of the blade and the hair which remains fast, but smooths down the remaining hair and leaves it in good condition.

I am aware that a single blade having a double convex cross-section and a handle at the end with curved teeth upon one edge has heretofore been provided for cleaning the legs of animals, as in United States Patent No. 183,302, of October 17, 1876; and I do not wish to be understood as claiming so broadly as to include such a device.

I claim as my invention A horse-cleaner consisting of a single blade of sheet metal having a series of fine teeth adapted to penetrate into the hair only of the horse, said teeth being formed with sharp edges or corners, in combination with a handle B, placed on the edge opposite to the teeth, the parts being constructed, arranged, and proportioned as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

H. G. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

S. B. GOODALE, E. D. GRANT. 

